nail

1. (Tools) a fastening device usually made from round or oval wire, having a point at one end and a head at the other

2. anything resembling such a fastening device, esp in function or shape

3. (Anatomy) the horny plate covering part of the dorsal surface of the fingers or toes. See fingernail, toenail

4. (Zoology) the claw of a mammal, bird, or reptile

5. slang a hypodermic needle, used for injecting drugs

6. (Units) a unit of length, formerly used for measuring cloth, equal to two and a quarter inches

7. a nail in one's coffin an experience or event that tends to shorten life or hasten the end of something

8. bite one's nails

a. to chew off the ends of one's fingernails

b. to be worried or apprehensive

9. hard as nails

a. in tough physical condition

b. without sentiment or feelings

10. hit the nail on the head to do or say something correct or telling

11. on the nail (of payments) at once (esp in the phrase pay on the nail)

vb (tr)

12. to attach with or as if with nails

13. informal to arrest or seize

14. informal to hit or bring down, as with a shot: I nailed the sniper.

15. informal to expose or detect (a lie or liar)

16. to fix or focus (one's eyes, attention, etc) on an object

17. to stud with nails

[Old English nǣgl; related to Old High German nagal nail, Latin unguis fingernail, claw, Greek onux]

ˈnailern

ˈnail-lessadj

nail

(neɪl) n.

1. a slender, rod-shaped piece of metal, typically having a pointed tip and a flattened head, made to be hammered into wood or other material as a fastener or support.

2. a thin, horny plate, consisting of modified epidermis, growing on the upper side of the end of a finger or toe.

3. a former measure of length for cloth, equal to 2¼ in. (6.4 cm).

v.t.

4. to fasten with a nail or nails.

5. to enclose or shut by nailing (often fol. by up).

6. to keep firmly in one place or position.

7. Informal. to catch or seize.

8. to accomplish perfectly: the only gymnast to nail the dismount.

9. nail down, to make final; settle once and for all.

Idioms:

1. hit the nail on the head, to say or do exactly the right thing.

2. nail in someone's or something's coffin, something that hastens the demise or failure of a person or thing: Every moment's delay is another nail in his coffin.

[before 900; (n.) Middle English nayl(l), Old English nægl, c. Old Frisian neil, Old Saxon, Old High German nagal (German Nagel), Old Norse nagl fingernail; akin to Old Irish ingen, Latin unguis, Greek ónyx]

nail

Past participle: nailedGerund: nailing

Imperative

nail

nail

Present

I nail

you nail

he/she/it nails

we nail

you nail

they nail

Preterite

I nailed

you nailed

he/she/it nailed

we nailed

you nailed

they nailed

Present Continuous

I am nailing

you are nailing

he/she/it is nailing

we are nailing

you are nailing

they are nailing

Present Perfect

I have nailed

you have nailed

he/she/it has nailed

we have nailed

you have nailed

they have nailed

Past Continuous

I was nailing

you were nailing

he/she/it was nailing

we were nailing

you were nailing

they were nailing

Past Perfect

I had nailed

you had nailed

he/she/it had nailed

we had nailed

you had nailed

they had nailed

Future

I will nail

you will nail

he/she/it will nail

we will nail

you will nail

they will nail

Future Perfect

I will have nailed

you will have nailed

he/she/it will have nailed

we will have nailed

you will have nailed

they will have nailed

Future Continuous

I will be nailing

you will be nailing

he/she/it will be nailing

we will be nailing

you will be nailing

they will be nailing

Present Perfect Continuous

I have been nailing

you have been nailing

he/she/it has been nailing

we have been nailing

you have been nailing

they have been nailing

Future Perfect Continuous

I will have been nailing

you will have been nailing

he/she/it will have been nailing

we will have been nailing

you will have been nailing

they will have been nailing

Past Perfect Continuous

I had been nailing

you had been nailing

he/she/it had been nailing

we had been nailing

you had been nailing

they had been nailing

Conditional

I would nail

you would nail

he/she/it would nail

we would nail

you would nail

they would nail

Past Conditional

I would have nailed

you would have nailed

he/she/it would have nailed

we would have nailed

you would have nailed

they would have nailed

Nail

A linear measurement used for cloth. It equals two and a quarter inches.

clutch, prehend, seize - take hold of; grab; "The sales clerk quickly seized the money on the counter"; "She clutched her purse"; "The mother seized her child by the arm"; "Birds of prey often seize small mammals"

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